DragonSpell - Paul, Donita K.

DragonSpell is the first book in The DragonKeeper Chronicles.  I enjoyed this book, but the religious theme was too pervasive.  It was like Chronicles of Narnia on steroids.  In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe the Christian symbolism was subtle.  In this book it smacks you in the face.



Kale is 14 and she was a slave until she discovered a dragon's egg.  Then she began a quest that would change her life.  This story has plenty of imaginary creatures, heroes, and villains.  The action is pretty tame, but this is a book for young adults and that's appropriate.  I'll be recommending this to my grandkids, but I doubt I'll read more in this series myself.  Recommended.

The Hunt for Atlantis - Mcdermott, Andy

The Hunt for Atlantis is the first Mcdermott novel I've read. There are several that I plan to read though. He has a series based on the characters of Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase and I plan to work through them all eventually.



Nina Wilde is an archeologist and Eddie Chase is her bodyguard. You're probably wondering why an archeologist needs a bodyguard.  When there are two organizations at odds over whether the lost city of Atlantis should ever be found, and you're the expert on the subject, some people will make you a target.  Nina and Eddie switch back and forth between saving each others lives over several continents and a whole series of adventures.  If you like the original Clive Cussler novels you'll love this one.  Very highly recommended.

Storm Prey - Sandford, John

Storm Prey is a Lucas Davenport Prey novel. If you're not familiar with Sandford's Prey series, I highly recommend it. You'll have over 20 books to catch up on, but every one is worth the read.



Lucas is a detective with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.  His wife Weather is a surgeon.  As she's coming to work one morning she almost sideswipes the getaway vehicle used in a robbery of the hospital pharmacy.  This sets off a series of events that make for intense suspense, action, and some interesting twists.  As always, Sandford fills his novels with interesting, and sometimes very sinister, characters.  Very highly recommended.

Blood Magic - Wilks, Eileen

Blood Magic is book six in the world of the lupi series.  Lily and Rule are officially engaged.  The tension of planning a wedding is counterpoint to the ancient evil that's decided to turn San Diego into a feeding ground, and fear is the feast.



The tangle of sorcerers, dragons, and weres battling in this novel keeps things interesting and makes it hard to put the book down.  Lily finds out she's got a dab of something besides human in her.  Dealing with that knowledge could be a complication or an opportunity.  Another winner for Wilks.  Very highly recommended.

The Reversal - Connelly, Michael

Connelly is one of the very best crime/detective writers of all time.  The Reversal is a combination Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch novel.  Harry Bosch is an LA homicide detective who is prominent is a whole series of Connelly stories.  They're all excellent.  Mickey Haller is a defense attorney, introduced in the novel Lincoln Lawyer, who has an overlapping series of novels.  Mickey and Harry are half brothers.  I highly recommend reading the novels in both series, but you can enjoy this book thoroughly without having to do so.



In The Reversal Mickey and Harry team up for a case that goes back 24 years. Mickey is a defense attorney through and through, but he reluctantly takes a position as special prosecutor to retry a child murderer who is going to be released due to DNA evidence.  Harry is assigned by the DA's office, at Mickey's request, to be his investigator for the case.  This book has some gripping scenes, in the court room and out.  The outcome is not what anyone expected.  Very highly recommended.

Indulgence in Death - Robb, J.D.

Indulgence in Death is another Eve Dallas novel. There are over 30 books in the series now. Eve is a homicide detective in New York city about 50 years in the future.

She and her husband Roarke start this story on vacation in Ireland, but when they get home homicides start piling up fast. Eve's got victims who've been killed with exotic weapons and not much to go on.  And she could be on the killer's victims list.  Very highly recommended.

Bad Blood - Sandford, John

Bad Blood is a Virgil Flowers novel.  Sandford spun Virgil off of his Lucas Davenport Prey novels.  This is the fourth Virgil Flowers novel and they're all great.   I recommend both series by Sandford.



This time around Virgil, an investigator for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, is looking at what seems to be a pretty simple head bashing.   That turns into a whole chain of murders, and eventually becomes the biggest sex crime scandal in Minnesota history.   All the action you can handle and more than enough suspense.  Sandford is always a great read.  Very highly recommended.

Changes - Butcher, Jim

Changes is novel number 12 in the Dresden Files series. Right off the bat Harry finds out he has a daughter and that she's been kidnapped by the red court vampires.  That gets things churning.



But I can't even tell you the most interesting part because that would be a major spoiler.  Needless to say there is a trail of bodies, vampire and otherwise, throughout this book, and some you won't believe.  Very highly recommended.